BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Environmental Trust has approved 20 grants totaling $238,751 to be awarded for environmental education, community cleanup, tree planting, and beautification projects through the Keep Maryland Beautiful program.

Presented annually since 1986, the grant program is managed by the Maryland Environmental Trust – a unit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – and administered on the department’s behalf by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Maryland Environmental Trust’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the grants after staff completed an application and review process.

The grants are funded by the Maryland Environmental Trust, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA).

“These grants help develop communities by supporting families and students who take personal responsibility for the health of their environment by protecting nature in their backyards and working to resolve environmental challenges to improve quality of life for all Marylanders,” said DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz. “Thanks once again to the Maryland Environmental Trust board, Chesapeake Bay Trust, and the departments of Agriculture and Transportation for supporting this important work.”

“Protecting, cleaning and maintaining Maryland’s diverse natural environment is fundamental to our state’s continued growth and ensuring future generations can benefit from cleaner, healthier communities,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “The Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to work with and contribute to the Keep Maryland Beautiful program which supports the environmental work of organizations, schools and neighborhoods.”

“The Maryland Department of Agriculture is excited to once again partner with our sister agencies to support the Maryland Environmental Trust’s efforts in keeping Maryland beautiful through this grant,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks.

“The Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant Program equips students, neighbors, land trusts, nonprofits, and more to lead local restoration and community stewardship activities that together have a big impact in protecting our natural resources,” shared Dr. Jana Davis, president of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “We are proud to administer this comprehensive program that empowers diverse groups across Maryland to promote the health and vitality of all our communities.”

Keep Maryland Beautiful recipients included schools, nonprofit groups, municipalities and land trusts in nine counties and Baltimore City.

The grants are awarded through these programs:

• Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands, three grants totaling $141,751, funded by MDA. These grants support cost-effective reforestation or afforestation projects on qualifying agricultural land to support the state’s efforts in planting 5 million native trees by 2031.
• Capacity Building for Land Trusts​, six grants totaling $50,000, funded by MDOT and MET. These grants are awarded to Maryland land trusts to increase capacity, support community programming and innovation, and foster stronger, better connected land trusts. The program is in honor of Janice Hollmann, who co-founded the Severn River Land Trust and the Arundel Conservation Trust.
• Community Stewardship, nine grants totaling $42,000; funded by MDOT and MET. These grants are awarded to schools, nonprofits and other community organizations who encourage environmental stewardship through education, engagement and greening projects while elevating awareness of local environmental problems and working to reduce them.
• Aileen Hughes Grant for individuals representing Maryland land trusts for outstanding leadership and innovation in conservation, two grants totaling $5,000, funded by MET. The two grants of $2,500 each are awarded to the Maryland land trusts in recognition of the individuals’ efforts and good work. The grant is given annually to honor the late Aileen Hughes, longtime president of the American Chestnut Land Trust.

Individuals and organizations receiving awards for 2025 are:

Anne Arundel County

• Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park (Community Stewardship Grant)

Baltimore City

• Blue Water Baltimore (Community Stewardship Grant)
• Greater Mount Holly Community Development Corporation (Community Stewardship Grant)
• No Boundaries Coalition (Community Stewardship Grant)
• St. Matthew’s New Life United Methodist Church (Community Stewardship Grant)
• York Corridor Business Improvement District Management Authority (Community Stewardship Grant)

Baltimore County

• NeighborSpace of Baltimore County (Capacity Building for Land Trusts Grant)
• Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center (Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands Grant)

Calvert County

• American Chestnut Land Trust (Capacity Building for Land Trusts Grant)

Charles County

• Conservancy for Charles County (Capacity Building for Land Trusts Grant)

Frederick County

• David Lillard, Catoctin Land Trust (Aileen Hughes Grant)

Harford County

• Friends Falls Creek Farm (Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands Grant)
• Harford Land Trust (Capacity Building for Land Trusts Grant)

Howard County

• Howard County Conservancy (Capacity Building for Land Trusts Grant)
• Howard EcoWorks (Tree Planting on Agricultural Lands Grant)
• Meg Boyd, Howard County Conservancy (Aileen Hughes Grant)
• Patapsco Heritage Greenway (Community Stewardship Grant)

Prince George’s County

• Chesapeake Natives (Community Stewardship Grant)
• ECO City Farms (Community Stewardship Grant)

Worcester County

• Lower Shore Land Trust (Capacity Building for Land Trusts Grant)

Photo: American Chestnut Land Trust in Calvert County, photo via DNR.

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